Five
by Shaun Garin
Summary: One is one and three is three. But when there is four, there needs to be five. Part 2 of the Paradox and I Universe


They called it a Time Quake.

The Time Quake changed the known world, and for the longest time, we believed that the world's history before three years ago simply ceased to exist. However, some few people who realized that history had been rewritten, and the natural balance of power was shifted had banded together into various groups.

I'm one of those people. Or rather I will be. I'm Mikuru Asahina.

I suppose I should start at the beginning. When it was determined that Haruhi Suzumiya was the most likely catalyst to this event, I was sent back to observe her and prevent her god-like powers from rewriting history.

But unlike most of the operatives in our timeframe, I had help.

I don't really remember much about my early life, but I do recall a man when I was only a few days old. I was scared and confused like all babies, but I could understand his words. He wore funny clothes; a lab coat but he wasn't a doctor-person. Somewhere my little baby mind understood him completely.

"Well aren't you a cute little one?" he said, tickling my tummy. "You're going to be very special Mikuru, of that I am certain."

Ever since that day, the man took interest in me, and showed up at the most strangest places with the oddest things and advice. He gave me a band-aid with little kittens on it, citing that I'd need it later. I scraped my knee that day and used it. On birthdays he'd show up out of the blue and give me presents that I would need later to get through life like diaries and tiny little trinkets that seemed to have no use until I was in trouble like all little kids.

I only knew him as Sir for the longest time, until he came around again. My parents welcomed him again like an old friend, and even to this day I didn't realize how timeless he was until I was 10, staring at him.

He hadn't aged a day. No wrinkles, no grey hairs, nothing.

That's when he told me that he was a special being, one who existed outside of time to guide it.

"There's only a few people like myself," said Paradox, for he had given his name. "You'll be one of them, little Mikuru."

He told me that there were three powerful and prominent time-weavers out there, but there also existed a string of beings that were just as powerful, and possessing a strange and powerful watch, they had the ability to shift time on a whim given the ability.

When I was 11, Paradox bustled into my life once more. I had begun study at the time-science academy in preparation to become an operative. He was a little worried, but assured me that the balance had shifted once more. There were now FOUR. Four beings. And that I must study as best as I could.

I wondered about the significance of four people. Why would four be so different from three? Curious, I started to dig into old textbooks of numerology.

It seemed that four was considered an unbalanced number, bringing woe and misfortune in some cultures. But in Paradox's line of work, it was actually a sign of the times changing on them.

There were four now. And I only knew the names of three:

Clockwork the Ghostly Watcher.

Sailor Pluto the One Who Lays the Path.

Paradox the Eternal Meddler.

And now there was Eon the Hands of Time and Ruin. Or rather Benjamin Tennyson.

Four. And now the world was changing again.

But the way Paradox said it, he indicated that I was going to be special.

When I was sent back in time to watch over Haruhi Suzumiya, Paradox followed even without the consent of our organization. But we've come to rely on him and his ability to nudge things back into place.

Dealing with Miss Suzumiya has been one of the hardest situations I've ever been in, her single-minded determination to molest me aside. We've had to balance out her boredom and frantic activity levels all in one go. I've grown to deal with the maid outfits and bunny suits but having lunch with Paradox keeps my sanity in check. No one else knows, or at least they didn't until one day, Kyon discovered what I was doing.

I didn't notice at first, but when Paradox called me out of class on an emergency claiming to be my father, I was worried. So I rushed over as quickly as possible, and to my surprise, Kyon and Itsuki were following me.

Poor Kyon. I'm so sorry I hadn't told him sooner that I had a friend here in our timeline, and he was stepping up to "defend my honor". I couldn't help it and giggled merrily as Paradox let out this big belly laugh that defied his size. Kyon looked sheepish. Itsuki looked a little suspicious, but then again our two objectives were always at odds.

That's when Paradox finished up what he was saying. "Mikuru, another cataclysm's headed your way. It's going to be a messy job, but make certain you survive it."

I hated it when he said stuff like this. So I made my displeasure known by kicking him in the shins. HARD.

Kyon's jaw dropped at the very un-Mikuru actions but be damned the stereotypes: Paradox was my old friend and I could treat him like Haruhi did to him!

I kicked him again. "Paradox you fool! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Paradox quirked a eyebrow and said, "Because you know that making a decision like that before it's nearly on our heads will only lead to panic."

Translation: I'm on my tenth or eleventh go-around for this. Please don't bollucks it up.

"Remind me to really hurt you later," I snapped before sighing and turning to Kyon, embarrassed. I rarely loose control around them, being all cute, moe and submissive. But I've known Paradox since I was a baby: I was allowed to get mad at him.

Kyon grilled me for questions. Itsuki listened and I could never tell what Yuki was thinking. Haruhi was left out for obvious reasons since Paradox added that her being aware of the next cataclysm was more or less going to botch things up to high heaven. I explained everything, how he was ageless, timeless and existed in all timeframes. The Eternal Meddler indeed. And inconsistencies in both Yuki and Itsuki's powers and worlds came to light.

I sighed at the end of it, thudded my head on the table and moaned, "I'm going to hurt him, so very much. And then I'm going to go find Setsuna and get him to clonk him on the head with her giant key. And then I'll get Clockwork to do something horrid to him. I don't know what though."

"More friends?" inquired Kyon.

"Passing acquaintances really," I said. It was true: I've only met Setsuna Meiou once and Clockwork only sent a little stuffed animal for my 9th birthday. Why I managed to attract the most powerful time-based beings in the cosmos was beyond me.

"So how are we going to weather this… cataclysm?" inquired Itsuki. "There's been no indication of one."

Yuki didn't say anything but she had been on the same page of her book for the last twenty minutes. Clearly she was waiting for the answer.

"I don't know," I admitted. "All we can do now is wait."

And wait we did. Then the bane of everyone's existence appeared on our world, fully charged and in the middle of going boom – The Hands of Armageddon.

I felt it first, the powerful feeling in the air, and then the sky going purple.

What followed next was the most terrifying tableau possible. People were vanishing, being replaced by beings, Chronians. They were intent on taking our world for ours and we were helpless to stop them. Even through Yuki's powers defending us and Itsuki somehow being able to summon his Esper Powers in the normal world, it was like an invasion. Which it was actually.

What's worse was that Haruhi was revelling in it. Finally, the world had shown its true colors and she was practically dancing in the streets. It took Kyon considerable effort to calm her as her powers going wild would have spelt trouble.

I raced through the streets, ducking Chronians as I went. Time Ninjas were on my heels, and I was forced to use a small hand gun that I kept in the folds of my clothing. Nothing beat a little cute girl running and shooting.

But I managed to make it to the location, and found Paradox already there. He was in considerable effort, holding off a man who had sharp vampire-like features in a battle. Violet energy clashed against the white-blue of Paradox's powers, and they wrestled, hands locked together in a struggle.

"Give it up Age!" snarled Paradox. "I bested Eon numerous times, and helped to defeat Century! Time has no meaning for you!"

"We will not be stopped," snarled Age, and he forced Paradox back with a burst of violet lightning. "The Chronians will live again!"

The Hands were there, and it looked like a vicious sundial that was lit up with an unholy light. "Paradox!" I screamed as he was blasted backwards.

But before Age could advance, a figure in green appeared and forced him back with brilliant green-white energy. "GO!" roared the teen and I realized who this was: Eon.

He had come, and busied himself with Age in a spectacular firefight, Eon pulling a sword made of crystal. "STOP THE HANDS!" he roared to me.

"I don't know how!" I protested.

"Yes you DO! Now GO!"

Biting my lip, I ducked the violet bursts of time magic thrown at me and I scrambled to the hands. There were no controls, no buttons. I pounded at the surface as hard as I could but it continued its disastrous-sounding whine.

"You can do it, Mikuru," said Paradox, suddenly there beside me. He looked old and weary, like he had done this dance many times. And he possibly had, his body worn from the considerable effort. "Just let go."

I knew I could trust him. So I placed my hands on the Hands and LET GO.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in the same park, but nothing was there; nothing but the sound of birds chirping in the afternoon sun. I thought for a long moment it had been a dream, but then I noticed my hands.

I had pressed so hard against the Hands that my palms were now scarred with tiny little glyphs. They were still soft, but there was a line that ran down. Curious, I pressed my palms together side by side, and gasped softly.

V stood out at me, the Roman numeral for FIVE.

Returning to the school, it was almost time for the Brigade to join up, so I went and changed into my maid uniform. Opening the door, Haruhi wasn't there yet, but the other three were.

"So you survived," said Itsuki in a way that sounded neither disappointed but… proud? He was never really that fond of me.

"The chances of the cataclysm being reversed in time were a thousand to one," added Kyon.

"2634834581474572341853 to 1." Said Yuki, throwing in her two cents.

I blushed. "I um…"

What to tell them? That somehow I managed to turn OFF the most dangerous item in the history of the universe? That now I was marked with the number five on my palms?

Kyon stood up, clasped my hands and opened them up side by side. "Paradox swung by before you returned," he said softly. "That now you're one of the Five. Beings with infinite power between time. Existing within in all time."

"I… I don't think I'm that special," I mumbled out.

"No, not yet." And Kyon gave me one of his rare smiles. "But you will be."

"HEY! Kyon stop holding Mikuru's hands!" demanded Haruhi, having walked in. "And Mikuru! Tea! I'm tired and I don't know why."

I jumped reflexively, squeaked out, "Okay!" and scrambled to make the tea.

"She does not remember," said Yuki as I served her. "The strain of the cataclysm on her own powers and mind has returned her to the same Haruhi."

"Thank goodness," I whispered.

As I served the last cup of tea, I noticed something outside. Paradox stood down there, finally looking like himself again, waving jauntily. Three other figures stood with him. The elegant senshi of time who had a rare smile across her lips, the ghostly form of Clockwork who nodded respectfully, and Eon who grinned up at me and gave me a thumbs up.

I waved back, and Kyon noticed them. "So… they're the four?"

"No," I said as they vanished in their own respective abilities and manners. "They're the FIVE."


End file.
